Support for small-arms.



0. BOEGKER.

SUPPORT FOR SMALL ARMS.

APPLICATION IILSD NOV. 18. 1912.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

COLUMBIA FLANOGRAPH co wumNarou, Dv c.

0. BOEGKER.

SUPPORT FOR SMALL ARMS. APPLIOATION FILED NDVJB 1912.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 0. BOEOKER.

SUPPORT FOR SMALL ARMS.

7 PPPPPP AT IIIIIIIII 0V. 18,1912. 1,072,203. Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

a EEEEEEEEEEEE s.

Fig. 6.

OLOF BOECKER, OF YVILMEBSDORF, NEAR- BERLIN, GERMANY.

SUPPORT FOR SMALL-ARMS.

oraeos.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

Application filed November 18, 1912. Serial No. 731,993.

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, OLor BOECKER, a citizen of the German Empire, and residing at lVihnersdorf, near Berlin, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Supports for SmalLArms, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to supports for small-arms.

An improved support for smallarms when firing in a horizontal position is required at the present time. The supports known heretofore could not be generally used because they were not sufficiently simple, they disturbed the manipulation of the weapon and readily caused twisting of the same without admitting of the small-arm being readily placed in its correct position. All these defects are obviated by my improved support.

It consists of one single piece stamped outof sheet metal, 0. 9. sheet steel, and is brought into the proper form by bending or pressure. Its form in plan is that of an H. Tts upper limbs are rotatably attached to the small-arm, its lower limbs are longer than the upper, and its cross-bar is curved so that when it is folded against the weapon the support snugs to the stock and offers no obstruction to the manipulation of the weapon. The upper limbs are preferably rotatably'attached by means of slots which enable the supported small-arm to be moved for removing twists and, in addition, enable longitudinal displacement of the support when the same is folded against the small-arm, in order that the lower ends of the support can be inserted into small recesses in the ring of the small-arm for the purpose of securing the support in this position. The lower limbs of the support are preferably bent U- shaped somewhat just below the cross-piece, so that the support can be moved past the buckle of the sling or strap of the smallarm. These bends simultaneously increase the stability and may also cause the feet to be spread apart somewhat when the support is lowered.

Several embodiments of the invention are represented by way of example in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view showing one form of my improved support, Fig. 2 is an elevation showing the support folded against the small-arm, and Fig. 3 is a like view showing the support lowered ready for use; Figs. 4 and 5 are side elevation, and

top plan view, respectively, showing a modified form of support, and Figs. 6 and 7 are like views, respectively, showing another modified form.

Referring firstly to Figs. 1 to 3, the sup port is stamped out of sheet steel and subsequently shaped by bending it. The stamped out piece of sheet steel has the form of an H having two long limbs a constituting feet and two short limbs Z) provided with guide slots 6. The H-shaped piece of metal is now bent in such manner that the crosspiece or bar (Z is curved. The feet can be simultaneously bent U-shaped as indicated at 0, and are preferably bulged out somewhat back from their ends 2' (Fig. 2), these bulges being provided with checkering, as indicated at 7c in Fig. 2. In addition, the limbs are hollowed somewhat in order that they may snug to the stock or barrel. Preferably, the support is attached by means of the slots Z) by a pin 6 passing through the upper ring f of the stock of the small-arm. Small grooves (Fig. 3) corresponding to the shape of the limbs a are cut in the stock and extend to below the middle ring it. At these parts of the ring it small recesses are provided into which the ends '5 of the feet of the support can be inserted.

Instead of attaching the support to the upper ring of the stock it may of course be attached elsewhere, and instead of the upper ends of the support having slots they may engage with pins in corresponding grooves in the stock, but such an arrangement would not be so good in many respects.

My improved support is used as follows z-JVhen the support is not in use its limbs a lie close against the stock in the small grooves and with its ends 2' (Fig. 2) under the ring it. If the support is to be used the checkered bulges 7c are pressed by two fingers and pushed so far to the front that the ends 71 are released, whereupon the support can be turned downward, the bends c passing freely by the buckle or hook Z (Fig. 2). The limbs are so far apart that the strap 0 can pass freely between them. The support is then placed on the ground and the upper edge 71. of the crossbar (Z is pushed against the upper ring of the small-arm, so that the latter is now well supported. If the small-arm is twisted owing to unevenness in the ground, it is simply rotated into its correct posit-ion, which can be done owing to the slots Z).

The support is folded up reversely in a similar simple manner.

In the case of the described support it may happen that the limbs can be readily spread apart so that they have no firm hold in the ground. This defect is obviated by the modified form of support shown in Figs. 4 and 5. In this form a bar Q or the like is pivotally mounted on the one limb p of the support and a clamp 1 is provided on this bar. limb p, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4. In this position the clamp 7" is pressed against and attached to the limb 39 so that it clasps the same and holds the bar Q in its folded position. Vhen shooting, the bar Q is released from the limb p and placed in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 5. The end 8 of the bar is conical, and the limb t of the support has at its end an opei slot u. When the end 8 of the bar Q is inserted into the slot at and the limb t is pressed somewhat toward the limb p, the bar Q is auto matically held in the slot a The two limbs 72 and t are hereby connected by means of a cross-bar, so that the small-arm is supported by a rigid triangular support. hen firing is finished the connection of the two limbs of the support formed by the bar Q can be released. The bar Q may be curved in such manner that it does not prevent the support being folded over. This is important in the case of the sudden advance of infantry from one firing line into a front position, because,"owing to lack of time, the support will not be properly fixed to the small-arm, but simply folded over. The bar Q need not necessarily be pivoted to the one limb. It is only essential that a readily detachable connection for the elastic limbs of the support be provided,'by means of which the Hshaped prop can be converted into a rigid triangular support. For example, every soldier might carry a bar Q in his pocket and attach it to the limbs of the support before firing.

In the embodiment according to Figs. 6 and 7 the support 1 is forked at its upper end and provided with a longitudinal slot 2 in each limb of the fork. The limbs 3 of the support are elastic and, owing to the The bar Q normally lies against the slots 2, can slide on pivots 4 provided at the two sides of the small-arm. Fig. 6 shows the support folded against the small-arm, its limbs engaging in a holding ring 5 attached to the small-arm. moved into its position for use by its first being shifted forward so far that its feet are released from the ring 5, and then rocked into the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6. In order that the support shall not swing to and fro in this position, two pins 6 are provided on the small-arm by which such motion is prevented. When the infantry advances rapidly the support is folded against the small-arm, but the feet do not require to be inserted into the ring 5 because when the support is folded against the small-arm the pins 6 enter into the slots 2 and hold the support in this position even when the limbs are not held by the ring vV hen the infantry has occupied a front position the support can be lowered into its position for use, because the limbs 3 of the support admit thereof at once.

If the support is not provided with slots the pins 6 need not be located in one line with the pivots 4, but may be located at an angle of 90 relatively to one another- The one pin 6 will then hold the support in its position of use and the other in the position folded against thesmall-arm. If desired, the pins. 6 may be provided on the support and in this case they will snap into recesses suitably providedin the weapon.

I claim V In combination with a small arm of a support therefor, comprising a pair of parallel arms Z), provided with longitudinal parallel slots, a curved cross connection (Z and a pair of leg members a, a pin passing through said slots'and serving to slidably and pivotally secure the support to the arm, and a retaining device on the arm adapted to receive the ends of the leg members.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

OLOF BOECKER.

Witnesses HENRY Hasrnn, lVoLnniiAn HAUPT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

The support is 

